


Jupiter Brains Against The Wall

by Pacha_Mama



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003), Mass Effect
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-14
Updated: 2012-06-14
Packaged: 2017-11-07 18:41:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/434184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pacha_Mama/pseuds/Pacha_Mama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Messing with strange little probes could change directions of the galaxy but there were cycles before and sometimes the past comes back...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Antaeus System_

_Ploba_

It was called a Jupiter Brain, Ancient War Machines or simply Deep Anomalies. Nothing could reach these solid structures that were stuck in the atmospheric pressure of the planet. Tali and Adams couldn't figure out what the strange object that orbited the planet so they left it out there...floating.

It wasn't inert.

The object didn't want its function known.

The atmosphere covered the faint signatures that ran the colossal structures. It had been so long since it had surfaced. Finally the orbiting sensor had been activated unwittingly by a young Quarian and a Human male.

It waited for the ship to leave the system before it fired up the massive engines that were powerful enough to force the structures out of the planet's grip and out into space. The sensor flashed red a beam of light, rotating out seeking any obstructions that might hinder the emergence. Slowly the structures moved, their massive engines roaring with effort, the hulls shaking as they moved. Inside of the structures beings not seen by the current habitants of the galaxy and those before them awoke as they left the radiation and pressure of Ploba.

Previous scans of the structures had not shown what they looked like merely hinted at their shape. Now, in the vacuum of space the shapes were revealed. Like an Eleutherozoa that was cut in half and the segment stuck on top of the other like two Ys. The sensor disappeared and reappeared near the relay that the activating ship disappeared through. The relay activated and shot the sensor out of the system and into the network for parts unknown.

Inside of the structure, the ship, thousands of metal beings awoke from their self imposed slumber to find out what was different about the galaxy that they had left. What new beings had God let loose? Were they kind or were they cruel? One of the metal creations activated the second structure that was hidden and it's spinal, skeletal, architecture was slowly shown to the void.

The radiation of the planet over the hundreds of thousands of millennia had destroyed or corrupted most of the essential equipment of the new ship. The synthetics inside of it woke and started to fix what they could of the equipment. Time had no meaning to them, they did not sleep, did not eat they only worked to help their ship survive. Their scout was fulfilling its purpose beyond the fleet and soon they would call it back and go join the wide and wild galaxy.

* * *

_75%_

It was a grim percentage and one that the synthetics counted as a loss of immense scrapped out what they could of the twenty five percent that they could in case of further repairs. The engines were maintainable and the hull was unharmed. Slowly they activated the systems unique to the vessel and pods and pools of embryonic fluid started to glow. The pods that were too damaged by time to function were shut down and the fluid was cleaned for the working pods.

Only once did they have to jump out of the system to keep their secret. None of their fighters were ready to defend against the ships that now traveled the space lanes. The Scouting Sensor was doing her job nicely, providing the ships with news and information about their new home. The same ship that activated their Sensor was famous in this time. A war was approaching, a war that would have been like their own had it not been for a species so like their creators. They needed to have someone to spy for them, in the thick of the populous.

* * *

Somewhere, in the depths of the skeletal ship there was a high pitched cry of pain and anger and loss. The few synthetics involved with the repairs of the pods moved into womb-like room and watched the fleshy limbs of their sibling tremble in the sticky thick fluid. She was the first to awaken, whole, unblemished.

Her gaze flicked fearfully from one single red eyed visor to another gasping for the pain to leave. "Am I alive?" she asked in trepidation.

The synthetics could only glance at each other; they could not vocalize as she could. One of them stepped forward and offered her a claw-like hand. It was at first menacing and then she started to remember what she was, what they were.

_Cylons. Centurions._

With a deep breath she leaned forward and placed her hand into the Centurion's. The air was cold, her body shivered as the fluid that all Cylons of her kind were "born" in, slid off her body. Her last moments of last life caused her to slip a little as she got out of the pool. She felt the tears prick her eyes and she collapsed against the cold metal of her Centurion siblings. Sobs wracked her body and all the Centurion thought to do was hold her up as she fell apart. All those deaths, her brothers, her sisters, and they were unable to resurrect to learn from their mistakes.

Why had she been resurrected? She looked up at the Centurion holding and shook her head. "I'm sorry, thank you." She looked around at the other Centurions and gave them a shaky smile. "Thank you." Her eyes met the optical scanner of the Centurion holding her. "I need clothing."

The Centurion picked her up like a child and carried her out of the resurrection room.


	2. Chapter 2

_Two years later..._

_  
_

Human colonies were disappearing and no one would speak of who was causing it.

She had stayed two years in the system that had once "birthed" her progenitors. Collecting what she could from the dessicated corpse of their ruined cities. Mot much remained untouched by the mutated plant life that had taken root in the ecosystem. Her travels took her to Kobol and New Caprica. Nothing remained of her brothers and sisters, she missed them, mourned them, wished for them to comfort her.

She had hid with the last of her brothers, away from prying eyes until she knew as much as she could about the races around them. As they crawled through the dead end systems of the Terminus they took out pirates and made upgrades to their systems and themselves.

She settled on going to Omega, the underbelly of the galaxy. There she could blend in and pick apart the random bits of information until she could find out what was happening to the human colonies. In the back of her mind she felt it right that she try and save what she had once tried to destroy. Even if humanity had no idea of their past.

The walkway surrounding the Nightclub known as Afterlife was busy with a multitude of races wanting to drink and dance and be around each other and apart from one another. She didn't bother to wait in line at the main entrance instead going up to the door where two batarians stood with data pads full of lists of names. One of the batarians nodded at her as she came up the stairs.

"Go on through, sweetheart." he leered and the door opened.

Six's perfect smile was stark against her tan skin and red dress. The batarian came up to her "There's another Afterlife, in the back of the markets, with a turian standing guard. Tell him that Jaruut sent you to where the real party is."

Six studied him for a moment and nodded. "I'll do that." she replied and left him at the front door.

The sides of the entrance of the club was dark with splashes of red from the holographic flames on the walls. Through the second door she could feel rather than hear the bass of the music. It was like the underground dance clubs on Virgon. Asari dancers on a floating platform surrounding a central column that showed vids of dancing asari. She looked around for something to catch her eye. There was a bar on either side but nothing hooked into her. Maybe she would take the batarian up on his offer.

She made her way back through the entrance and shot the batarian a grin. "You're right."

He chuckled. "Told ya."

* * *

Afterlife VIP was smaller but had the same throbbing of energy of it's larger sibling. She spotted the bar off to her left and went over to order a drink. Next to her was a gorgeous asari in tight black armor, eying a mousy young woman who danced timidly in a corner of the dance floor. There was something about the young woman, so fresh, a sweet blossom just starting to bloom. She ordered a whiskey on the rocks and started over to the woman. Coming closer she saw that her cloths weren't that great but she tried to be pretty.

She could feel eyes burning into her back but she didn't turn around to see who was glaring at her, or ogling her. Carefully she started to dance and let the music that pulsed through her body move her closer to the young girl. After a few moments the girl noticed her and she couldn't tell if it was the lights or she was actually blushing.

Six pounced on the moment. " The music here is very thrilling here, don't you think?" she asked with a friendly but small smile.

"Oh, y-yes it is." she answered softly, almost too soft for most people to be able to hear her but Six could.

"Just sort of carries you. Lets you shift and move like water or leaves on the wind." she replied thoughtfully.

"Like you." the girl answered shyly and Six made herself blush.

"Me?" Six took a large swallow of her whiskey and let her eyes. "That's the sweetest thing anybody has ever said to me."

That wasn't a lie, either. With her brothers and sisters she was a part of a collective and her sisters, though she loved them, did not play idle compliments. The music changed and the rhythm was lost to them so they stepped off the dance floor. The burning feeling on her body continued. It wasn't lust that was searing into her but anger.

"What's your name?" the young woman asked.

Six didn't let her smile waiver as she remembered: she didn't have a name. Her smile grew sweeter. "What do you think my name should be?"

The girl tapped her fingers on the chin in thought. It was an adorable little reaction and the girl's eyes brightened as she came to a decision. "Layla."

Six's eyebrows rose at the name and she grinned. "Layla it is, then. What is your name?"

"Nef."

"Is this your first time here too?" she asked.

"Yes."

Layla sighed in relief. "Splendid! We can experience it together and not feel like we're embarrassing each other." she put her hand to her mouth and giggled. "But only if you want to."

Nef seemed unsure but Layla's disarming smile seemed to put steel in her spine and she nodded excitedly. "Okay, that sounds like fun."

Layla placed a hand on her back and steered her to the bar. She saw the asari was eying her as if she was a rival, stalking the same prey. This young girl was going to be  _her_  prey but Layla had snatched her away. Coming closer to the bar Layla sent the asari a "Don't be a sore loser" look and the asari stalked off.

"You are sadly bereft of a drink, dear." she replied softly and waved over the bartender.

Nef looked lost and smiled. "What she's having," she pointed at Layla's whiskey.

The bartender nodded and poured her a whiskey on the rocks. Nef took the glass and took a sip, letting the icy liquid travel down her throat to warm her chest and stomach. Layla smiled approvingly and spied an empty table off in a corner. The two women made their way over and Layla made an effort to to keep a comfortable distance from the younger woman.

"So what do you do, Nef?" she asked with a dazzling smile.

"I-I'm a sculptor." she answered softly.

Layla leaned forward and rested her chin on the palm of her hand. "Really? I've never met an artist before."

Nef's cheeks blossomed pink and she took a large swallow of her whiskey. "It's nothing, just something to do. What do you do?"

The question was meant to steer the conversation away from her and Layla would let it go...for now.

"I explore. Wander." she replied nonchalantly. "What do you sculpt?"

Nef brushed her hair out of her face, drawing Layla's gaze to her slim hands and her flawless cheek. "Whatever pops into my head. Sometimes its shapes or a movement that I find entrancing. Like people dancing, some of them move like water but with form and shape. I've had a couple of galleries interested in buying a couple of pieces but I-I'm not sure. I'm just dumb trash from Omega."

"You are not some dumb trash from Omega," Layla replied smoothly. "I can tell that much from these few moments with you that you have a creative spark that most would kill for. Sell your pieces! Get out of here! Go live your life!"

"I don't know..." Nef's voice trailed off with uncertainty but finished her drink. "The money  _would_  help my mother and I."

Six was in. The young woman was confiding in her and she knew she hadn't lost her model's touch at seducing and lowering the guards of whoever they put their sights on. An asari waitress came over with a tray and set down two glasses of their drinks of choice with a big smile. Nef's brow furrowed as did Layla's.

"We didn't order these." Layla replied with a smile.

The waitress nodded and turned to point at the asari that Layla had competed with for Nef's attention. "She did. Don't worry she didn't touch the drinks."

Layla's smirked. "Should we take them? Put her out of her misery?"

Nef took the gift whiskey and downed most of if trying to give herself some backbone. Layla smiled and took the other drink as the waitress left them. She took a sip of the drink and raised her glass to toast the asari across the dance floor. It was a foolhardy move but she was confident she could beat the asari again. A thought of seeing how far she could push this little artist in front of her flitted across her mind.

The music got louder and Nef scooted closer so that she could listen to whatever Layla had to say. The waitress brought another round of drinks. Layla's body could metabolize the whiskey faster than Nef's and she could see the younger woman's eyes go hazy. She smiled and placed a hand on Layla's leg.

"My dear Nef," Layla whispered, her lips delightfully close to the girl's ear. "You've had too much to drink."

"Maybe what they say is true." Nef answered back. "A drunk person does what a sober person wishes to do."

"So you would never try to seduce a beautiful woman sober?" she teased.

"I would be too afraid to." Nef choked.

"You have fire coursing through you're veins." Layla chuckled. Her hand lay over Nef's and she slid her fingertips over her wrists.

"Maybe you should put it out."

Nef shivered as their whiskey laden breath mingled and she tilted her head back and pushed herself up. Layla met her lips halfway, slipping her arms around her waist and pulling her closer her. Fire burned in her body and Nef slipped her hands through her hair to keep herself attached. Their tongues sought each other out and dueled top put out the flames their bodies held.

Layla pulled herself away, reluctantly, from the delicious body."Lets get out of here."

"Can't go to my place." Nef growled. "My mother."

"I-I have a ship." she grinned. "With a beautiful bed and you would look beautiful on it."

"Take me to bed, Layla."


	3. Chapter 3

The Six named Layla was lying naked next to a woman who was as skillful with clay and metal as she was with flesh. Her lips trailed over her lover's body like droplets of rain that quenched the skin and the soul. Layla had let herself ride out the impending wave like a twig with one shiny green leave. Limbs tangled together, sweat lubricating their joints and cooling their bodies. Soft sighs and heavy gasps filled the room. Crescendoing until two sharp cries ending the piece.

They lay, satisfied, fulfilled, on the large silky bed that made up the centerpiece of the cabin inside the ship Layla had stolen. The pirates who once owned the ship were dead before they could get to their intended prey. A silky haired head lay on her shoulder and an arm wrapped itself over her stomach.

"I've never felt anything like that before." Nef breathed, squeezing Layla's stomach lightly.

Layla kissed Nef's forehead and smiled into her sweat dampened hair. "Neither have I. My dear Nef you have hands that would make the angels weep."

She felt Nef's curve in smile and then felt those same lips on her skin in a feathery kiss. "I think I made you weep a few times."

"That you did. Does that make me an angel?"

Nef stretched her body against hers and propped herself up on a elbow. "You do look like one." she blushed.

"Hearing that from you is high praise." Layla copied her movements and looked over her shoulder to the clock that was set to Omega's time. It was very early in the morning.

Nef noticed the time as well and sighed sadly. "Are you staying on Omega long?"

Layla smiled sadly and brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen over her face. "I don't know. I'm looking for information on something important... Would you miss me?"

Nef looked down at the crumpled sheets. "I think I would. I'm not a slut."

Layla frowned. "I never said you were but I'm also not making any claims on you. If you want to spend more time with me then I would love to be around you."

Nef got out of the bed and padded over to the shower. "I wish I could stay longer but I have to get back to my mother. She'll be worried."

"Of course," Layla replied and rolled out of the bed grabbing a silky blue robe from off a nearby chair. The fabric felt cold against her skin. "I'll make breakfast. Anything in particular you want?"

"No, I'll eat whatever you make." the reply from beyond the sliding metal door that separated them.

Layla exited her quarters and made her way to the galley of the ship. She passed a few Centurions and smiled at them in greeting. They paid no mind to mind to her robed state. They had seen her in far less many times before and it did not offend them.

"You have the strangest mechs." Nef replied coming into the galley. "One of them was making your bed."

Layla spun around and grinned at her. A spatula was in her hand and the smell of real eggs and bacon wafted through the air. Nef wore the clothing that she had worn to the club but her hair was clean and soft. She across the galley and reached up to give Layla a soft kiss on the lips.

"Really? Well I'll just have to thank them." she replied and inhaled the scent of her shampoo in the girl's hair. The vanilla and apple scent was better suited to Nef than herself.

"I did that already out of habit." Nef replied sheepishly looking over Layla's shoulder to the two frying pans on the stove. "Is that real eggs and bacon? I haven't had that in ages!"

Layla's grin went lopsided and shrugged. "I have connections."

Killing pirates and pillaging their food stores and fuel after they were asphyxiated by their own 'malfunctioning' life support systems. This ship was a prize from one such attack and it suited her purpose well for when she couldn't use the baseship.

"There is juice in the fridge and glasses are in the shelf to the left of the fridge. Hope you like scrambled eggs because that's all I can make." she replied turning back to the stove.

She heard the clinking of glasses and the opening of the fridge. It was a nice scene to be in and she almost wished that it wouldn't go away. Maybe Nef wouldn't act like the Colonials and try to not hate her. The bacon was nice an crispy without being burnt and the eggs were fluffy and marbled white and yellow. She turned off the stove and slid the eggs and bacon onto two plates nearby.

Nef was just pouring orange juice into two glasses when she exited the galley into the mess area. She looked up and smiled at the food. "That smells delicious."

Layla carefully put the plates down and sat next to Nef who picked up a slice of bacon and took a hardy bite. The pleasure that swept over Nef's face at the taste of real bacon from the pig made Layla giggle. They matched their pace bite for bite the hunger their lovemaking worked up causing them to wolf down their food. Layla was finishing drinking her juice when Nef turned and kissed her hand.

"That was the best breakfast I've ever had." she blushed.

Layla caressed her cheek and wiped a fleck of egg off the corner of Nef's lips. "My pleasure. Now let me get dressed and I'll walk you home. I don't want anything to happen to you."

She got up and took the plates and her glass to be cleaned later, leaving Nef to finish her juice in peace.

The Centurion who was straightening her room when she came in looked up, a dainty pair of pink panties in its metal hands. Layla blushed and gently took it away from him.

"Thank you," she replied softly and kissed the Centurion just under his optical visor. "I'm going to walk her home after that I'm going to go see if there is any news."

The terminal on her desk flashed on. "Another Colony attacked: Horizon. Half of the colonists gone."

"Shit!" Layla hissed and glared at the Centurion. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

The Centurion pointed at the panties and then at the bed. The gesture meant: You were busy. She quickly threw on a black jumpsuit and laced on a pair of mid calf black boots. Her hair was pulled back by a couple of barrettes. It was an unassuming look and easy to move in. She slipped on a gun belt and made sure it had enough heat clips in it.

"Have the ship ready to leave when I get back so we can meet up with the baseship." she replied and started for the door. "Thank you."

Nef was waiting for her by the airlock with a couple of Centurions standing guard like two silver sentinels. They straightened as she came forward and Nef gave her a relieved smile. Layla returned it with a reassuring on and hooked her arm with Nef's. The airlock opened to the docks where her ship was and they made their way down the street past Afterlife. The ship wasn't far from the tenement that Nef shared with her mother. They stopped in front of her door and Nef gave Layla a sad look.

"How long will you be here?" she asked.

"I'm leaving as soon as I get back to the ship but I'll be back as soon as I can." Layla gave her a concerned look. "I won't forget you if you don't forget me."

She slipped her finger under Nef's chin and lifted her face up so that their eyes met.

"I promise I will come back." she replied and pressed her lips together in a sweet kiss.

"I won't forget about you." Nef replied quietly. "I have to get inside before my mother wakes up."

Layla watched her sadly as the sculptor pressed in the entrance code to her apartment and slip inside. She didn't know how long she stood there but a buzzing of her comm told her that she needed to get back to her ship. Her feet carried her in a sprint that matched a gazelle so that she could be gone and back quicker.

The baseship met them right outside the asteroid field that held Omega and the pirate ship slipped inside the largest hanger bay where the heavy raiders were housed. The FTL drive was already spooling up as they docked and Layla ran towards the command center where she could oversee the Hybrid's jump. She slid past Centurions as they went about their business muttering 'excuse me' and 'sorry' if she had to move or hit them. It was easier to think of them as brothers than as servants. They had saved her, the last of her kind, and they had a connection to each other.

Two of the Centurions were inside the command center waiting for her. They were hooked into the central console and looked up to watch her enter. She pushed up her sleeve and slipped her hand into the clear liquid that conveyed her requests.

_Ready for jump._

The Centurions could not communicate vocally but the data stream allowed them direct feed to each other, the hybrid and her if she was in the stream.

_Take us to Horizon._  She replied and the ship fired its FTL drive causing the asteroids around it to coming crashing together at the sudden loss of mass.

Through the stream she watched the planet where Horizon resided pop into view. She switched to a scanning mode to see what type of trails she could see. Two distinct signatures were found, one was Alliance or something of that nature and the other was different. It was not like any signature by any engine she had encountered in her short time in this new galaxy.

_Calculate the trajectory of this ship._  She ordered the Hybrid.

It took only a few seconds for the calculations and the Hybrid showed her what systems the ship might have gone to. Four systems were on the list one of them near Alliance Space and two of them near the Galactic Core.

_Send scout Raiders. Have them attach themselves to the ship and open trackers until we can catch up. If they aren't there then have them set up a tracking position until they do._

She pulled her hand out of the console and looked up at one of the Centurions. Luckily the ships that they had plundered from had revealed many systems that were rarely visited by any but the pirates. The charts made for incredibly accurate FTL jumps that would make the best navigator blush from embarrassment.

For hours it seemed that she paced the center until a Centurion motioned for her to leave the room. She pleaded silently for him to let her stay but was politely rebuffed. Frowning she left the room for the adjoining office area with its sleek white and silver furniture. There was a terminal on the desk that interfaced with the comm. buoys the Alliance and its allies used to communicate. Lazily she scrolled through dozens of articles pertaining to the Collectors and then she switched to the classified sections.

The Colonials learned that Cylons were masters at hacking and that fact had not changed in all these millennia. It had taken her a blink of an eye to slip through the Alliance firewalls without calling attention to herself. There was talk of a dead Spectre, a lot of talk in fact. He was working for Cerberus, a paramilitary human first party headed by someone called The Illusive Man. She read over every report known about this Illusive Empire and grew sickened. Humanity first no matter what. Experiments to further advance human technology and genetics and goals while losing their humanity in the process.

Cerberus was after the Collectors. Were they looking for acceptance or something much more sinister. She would have to met this Illusive Man and maybe kill him if she deemed it necessary for the preservation of the human race. He couldn't get a hold of her body though. Humans with resurrection would disastrous.

In the back of her mind she heard the metallic clanking of metal feet belonging to a Centurion. She looked up and it. "You found something?" it nodded and she dashed out of her chair, causing it to fall over.

She slid to the center console just in time to see them exit FTL over a ship to ship combat. It was a turian vessel and it was getting hammered by the Collector ship. It had to have been the Collector ship the signature was the same as Horizon.

"Open a channel to the turian vessel."

"This is Captain Peltrasius of the Turian frigate Parthian Rage state your business."

"We are here to offer assistance. Fall back and let my Raiders disable the ship." Layla replied over the center's comm.

_Parthian's shields down to 30%_

"You're shields are going to fail soon, Captain. Get the hell out of here!" she cried.

_Deploying 1st and 3rd squadrons to knock out the Collector ship's engines._

"Mass Effect Drive is down we can't jump." The turian captain replied evenly

"Affirmative Captain, get behind us we'll try and hold them off." she replied.

_Enemy ship's engines are off line. Life support functioning. Shields down._

_Datamine their systems. Expect heavy firewall and virus defenses. Scan the ship for human life forms._  She ordered the ship's second hybrid

The centurions could not save the resurrection ship as a whole but the hybrid and most of the resurrection pools had been saved. Layla had made it a point to use the hybrid if a electronic warfare suite and centurion anchor. The main hybrid stayed hooked into the ship and kept its main function. The hybrids were far more sophisticated than any AI that the present species could design and she moved faster than most computers.

_Datamine complete. Partitioning hard drives for maximum security. 21,365 viruses detected. 2 days until analysis complete._

_300 human life signs aboard. Centurions wish to launch rescue party._

"Parthian Rage to unidentified vessel, our thanks. Reinforcements on the way. ETA: 2 hours."

"There are 300 humans hostages aboard that ship, Captain. I'm sending in a rescue team."

"Affirmative, ma'am. Rescue teams will be standing by. Launching when you're ready."

Layla shut off the comm. and turned to the nearest Centurion. "Get a Heavy Raider and twelve Centurions ready I'm going to go to the ship and see what they do to the Colonists."

The Centurion nodded and turned back to the console to do as she asked.


	4. Chapter 4

The Six named Layla was lying naked next to a woman who was as skillful with clay and metal as she was with flesh. Her lips trailed over her lover's body like droplets of rain that quenched the skin and the soul. Layla had let herself ride out the impending wave like a twig with one shiny green leave. Limbs tangled together, sweat lubricating their joints and cooling their bodies. Soft sighs and heavy gasps filled the room. Crescendoing until two sharp cries ending the piece.

They lay, satisfied, fulfilled, on the large silky bed that made up the centerpiece of the cabin inside the ship Layla had stolen. The pirates who once owned the ship were dead before they could get to their intended prey. A silky haired head lay on her shoulder and an arm wrapped itself over her stomach.

"I've never felt anything like that before." Nef breathed, squeezing Layla's stomach lightly.

Layla kissed Nef's forehead and smiled into her sweat dampened hair. "Neither have I. My dear Nef you have hands that would make the angels weep."

She felt Nef's curve in smile and then felt those same lips on her skin in a feathery kiss. "I think I made you weep a few times."

"That you did. Does that make me an angel?"

Nef stretched her body against hers and propped herself up on a elbow. "You do look like one." she blushed.

"Hearing that from you is high praise." Layla copied her movements and looked over her shoulder to the clock that was set to Omega's time. It was very early in the morning.

Nef noticed the time as well and sighed sadly. "Are you staying on Omega long?"

Layla smiled sadly and brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen over her face. "I don't know. I'm looking for information on something important... Would you miss me?"

Nef looked down at the crumpled sheets. "I think I would. I'm not a slut."

Layla frowned. "I never said you were but I'm also not making any claims on you. If you want to spend more time with me then I would love to be around you."

Nef got out of the bed and padded over to the shower. "I wish I could stay longer but I have to get back to my mother. She'll be worried."

"Of course," Layla replied and rolled out of the bed grabbing a silky blue robe from off a nearby chair. The fabric felt cold against her skin. "I'll make breakfast. Anything in particular you want?"

"No, I'll eat whatever you make." the reply from beyond the sliding metal door that separated them.

Layla exited her quarters and made her way to the galley of the ship. She passed a few Centurions and smiled at them in greeting. They paid no mind to mind to her robed state. They had seen her in far less many times before and it did not offend them.

"You have the strangest mechs." Nef replied coming into the galley. "One of them was making your bed."

Layla spun around and grinned at her. A spatula was in her hand and the smell of real eggs and bacon wafted through the air. Nef wore the clothing that she had worn to the club but her hair was clean and soft. She across the galley and reached up to give Layla a soft kiss on the lips.

"Really? Well I'll just have to thank them." she replied and inhaled the scent of her shampoo in the girl's hair. The vanilla and apple scent was better suited to Nef than herself.

"I did that already out of habit." Nef replied sheepishly looking over Layla's shoulder to the two frying pans on the stove. "Is that real eggs and bacon? I haven't had that in ages!"

Layla's grin went lopsided and shrugged. "I have connections."

Killing pirates and pillaging their food stores and fuel after they were asphyxiated by their own 'malfunctioning' life support systems. This ship was a prize from one such attack and it suited her purpose well for when she couldn't use the baseship.

"There is juice in the fridge and glasses are in the shelf to the left of the fridge. Hope you like scrambled eggs because that's all I can make." she replied turning back to the stove.

She heard the clinking of glasses and the opening of the fridge. It was a nice scene to be in and she almost wished that it wouldn't go away. Maybe Nef wouldn't act like the Colonials and try to not hate her. The bacon was nice an crispy without being burnt and the eggs were fluffy and marbled white and yellow. She turned off the stove and slid the eggs and bacon onto two plates nearby.

Nef was just pouring orange juice into two glasses when she exited the galley into the mess area. She looked up and smiled at the food. "That smells delicious."

Layla carefully put the plates down and sat next to Nef who picked up a slice of bacon and took a hardy bite. The pleasure that swept over Nef's face at the taste of real bacon from the pig made Layla giggle. They matched their pace bite for bite the hunger their lovemaking worked up causing them to wolf down their food. Layla was finishing drinking her juice when Nef turned and kissed her hand.

"That was the best breakfast I've ever had." she blushed.

Layla caressed her cheek and wiped a fleck of egg off the corner of Nef's lips. "My pleasure. Now let me get dressed and I'll walk you home. I don't want anything to happen to you."

She got up and took the plates and her glass to be cleaned later, leaving Nef to finish her juice in peace.

The Centurion who was straightening her room when she came in looked up, a dainty pair of pink panties in its metal hands. Layla blushed and gently took it away from him.

"Thank you," she replied softly and kissed the Centurion just under his optical visor. "I'm going to walk her home after that I'm going to go see if there is any news."

The terminal on her desk flashed on. "Another Colony attacked: Horizon. Half of the colonists gone."

"Shit!" Layla hissed and glared at the Centurion. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

The Centurion pointed at the panties and then at the bed. The gesture meant: You were busy. She quickly threw on a black jumpsuit and laced on a pair of mid calf black boots. Her hair was pulled back by a couple of barrettes. It was an unassuming look and easy to move in. She slipped on a gun belt and made sure it had enough heat clips in it.

"Have the ship ready to leave when I get back so we can meet up with the baseship." she replied and started for the door. "Thank you."

Nef was waiting for her by the airlock with a couple of Centurions standing guard like two silver sentinels. They straightened as she came forward and Nef gave her a relieved smile. Layla returned it with a reassuring on and hooked her arm with Nef's. The airlock opened to the docks where her ship was and they made their way down the street past Afterlife. The ship wasn't far from the tenement that Nef shared with her mother. They stopped in front of her door and Nef gave Layla a sad look.

"How long will you be here?" she asked.

"I'm leaving as soon as I get back to the ship but I'll be back as soon as I can." Layla gave her a concerned look. "I won't forget you if you don't forget me."

She slipped her finger under Nef's chin and lifted her face up so that their eyes met.

"I promise I will come back." she replied and pressed her lips together in a sweet kiss.

"I won't forget about you." Nef replied quietly. "I have to get inside before my mother wakes up."

Layla watched her sadly as the sculptor pressed in the entrance code to her apartment and slip inside. She didn't know how long she stood there but a buzzing of her comm told her that she needed to get back to her ship. Her feet carried her in a sprint that matched a gazelle so that she could be gone and back quicker.

The baseship met them right outside the asteroid field that held Omega and the pirate ship slipped inside the largest hanger bay where the heavy raiders were housed. The FTL drive was already spooling up as they docked and Layla ran towards the command center where she could oversee the Hybrid's jump. She slid past Centurions as they went about their business muttering 'excuse me' and 'sorry' if she had to move or hit them. It was easier to think of them as brothers than as servants. They had saved her, the last of her kind, and they had a connection to each other.

Two of the Centurions were inside the command center waiting for her. They were hooked into the central console and looked up to watch her enter. She pushed up her sleeve and slipped her hand into the clear liquid that conveyed her requests.

_Ready for jump._

The Centurions could not communicate vocally but the data stream allowed them direct feed to each other, the hybrid and her if she was in the stream.

_Take us to Horizon._  She replied and the ship fired its FTL drive causing the asteroids around it to coming crashing together at the sudden loss of mass.

Through the stream she watched the planet where Horizon resided pop into view. She switched to a scanning mode to see what type of trails she could see. Two distinct signatures were found, one was Alliance or something of that nature and the other was different. It was not like any signature by any engine she had encountered in her short time in this new galaxy.

_Calculate the trajectory of this ship._  She ordered the Hybrid.

It took only a few seconds for the calculations and the Hybrid showed her what systems the ship might have gone to. Four systems were on the list one of them near Alliance Space and two of them near the Galactic Core.

_Send scout Raiders. Have them attach themselves to the ship and open trackers until we can catch up. If they aren't there then have them set up a tracking position until they do._

She pulled her hand out of the console and looked up at one of the Centurions. Luckily the ships that they had plundered from had revealed many systems that were rarely visited by any but the pirates. The charts made for incredibly accurate FTL jumps that would make the best navigator blush from embarrassment.

For hours it seemed that she paced the center until a Centurion motioned for her to leave the room. She pleaded silently for him to let her stay but was politely rebuffed. Frowning she left the room for the adjoining office area with its sleek white and silver furniture. There was a terminal on the desk that interfaced with the comm. buoys the Alliance and its allies used to communicate. Lazily she scrolled through dozens of articles pertaining to the Collectors and then she switched to the classified sections.

The Colonials learned that Cylons were masters at hacking and that fact had not changed in all these millennia. It had taken her a blink of an eye to slip through the Alliance firewalls without calling attention to herself. There was talk of a dead Spectre, a lot of talk in fact. He was working for Cerberus, a paramilitary human first party headed by someone called The Illusive Man. She read over every report known about this Illusive Empire and grew sickened. Humanity first no matter what. Experiments to further advance human technology and genetics and goals while losing their humanity in the process.

Cerberus was after the Collectors. Were they looking for acceptance or something much more sinister. She would have to met this Illusive Man and maybe kill him if she deemed it necessary for the preservation of the human race. He couldn't get a hold of her body though. Humans with resurrection would disastrous.

In the back of her mind she heard the metallic clanking of metal feet belonging to a Centurion. She looked up and it. "You found something?" it nodded and she dashed out of her chair, causing it to fall over.

She slid to the center console just in time to see them exit FTL over a ship to ship combat. It was a turian vessel and it was getting hammered by the Collector ship. It had to have been the Collector ship the signature was the same as Horizon.

"Open a channel to the turian vessel."

"This is Captain Peltrasius of the Turian frigate Parthian Rage state your business."

"We are here to offer assistance. Fall back and let my Raiders disable the ship." Layla replied over the center's comm.

_Parthian's shields down to 30%_

"You're shields are going to fail soon, Captain. Get the hell out of here!" she cried.

_Deploying 1st and 3rd squadrons to knock out the Collector ship's engines._

"Mass Effect Drive is down we can't jump." The turian captain replied evenly

"Affirmative Captain, get behind us we'll try and hold them off." she replied.

_Enemy ship's engines are off line. Life support functioning. Shields down._

_Datamine their systems. Expect heavy firewall and virus defenses. Scan the ship for human life forms._  She ordered the ship's second hybrid

The centurions could not save the resurrection ship as a whole but the hybrid and most of the resurrection pools had been saved. Layla had made it a point to use the hybrid if a electronic warfare suite and centurion anchor. The main hybrid stayed hooked into the ship and kept its main function. The hybrids were far more sophisticated than any AI that the present species could design and she moved faster than most computers.

_Datamine complete. Partitioning hard drives for maximum security. 21,365 viruses detected. 2 days until analysis complete._

_300 human life signs aboard. Centurions wish to launch rescue party._

"Parthian Rage to unidentified vessel, our thanks. Reinforcements on the way. ETA: 2 hours."

"There are 300 humans hostages aboard that ship, Captain. I'm sending in a rescue team."

"Affirmative, ma'am. Rescue teams will be standing by. Launching when you're ready."

Layla shut off the comm. and turned to the nearest Centurion. "Get a Heavy Raider and twelve Centurions ready I'm going to go to the ship and see what they do to the Colonists."

The Centurion nodded and turned back to the console to do as she asked.


	5. Chapter 5

Leaving the Collector ship and the humans on board was a hard decision and she wished that she could have stayed. If she had been less of a coward and worked alongside of the Council ships they would welcome her and her brothers. She would have to ask her silent brothers if they wished to be known to the humans and other species that inhabited this galaxy. It was not up to just her anymore or her kind. Humanoid Cylons made their predecessors servants and she was left holding the bag.

It was an interesting prospect. Going through the steps of respect and acceptance and love that humans would have to go through if they created an AI that demanded its rights as a sentient being. The Quarians would have to have done the same if they hadn't turned on their creations. She looked up at the Centurions she was surrounded by walking the corridors of the baseship and she wanted to hug one just to see what they would do.

When the Centurions renovated the baseship they kept the furniture and clothing of the other models and she was glad of it. One of her sisters had adored bubble baths and she remembered coming into her sister's room to see her up to her neck in fluffy lavender tinted bubbles. She would laugh and try to blow a handful of bubbles at her.

She arrived at her room and started to pull at the clasps and latches that held her armor in place. The plates on her arms and shoulders came first to the middle of the room and then the breastplate and back in a pile at the center. Her boots and leg plates landed by the empty tub beautiful and elegant, white and warm to the touch. Unlike the water being hot in a cold tub it was body temperature water going into a self heating tub. She stripped off the black bodysuit that protected her skin from chaffing and melee damage and her bra and panties leaving her skin to tense in the slightly cool air.

The water felt lovely as she climbed in and submerged herself in its embraced. Her muscles slowly relaxed and she rested her head on the rounded back edge of the tub her neck contouring to the surface. Cold, thin fingers ran through her hair making her body shiver at the touch. She didn't need to open her eyes to see that it was a Centurion; they were the only ones besides her on the ship. The combing of her hair didn't stop and she sighed at the intimate touch. The Centurions other hand trailed up from her jaw and over her cheek though the very thin tapers had folded in to replicate fingers better. Its thumb ran over her lips and she opened her eyes to look up at the red optic above her.

Searing thoughts of cool metal hands caressing her skin igniting her senses and overwhelming her body with pleasure made her want to get out of the tub and try and seduce her brother-at-arms. The reality would not turn out as well. She would be frustrated by the lack of emotion she would feel from him. She would seethe silently until she would explode and do something stupid. Her brother wiped a tear that had unknowingly escaped from her eye off her cheek.

"Thank you, brother." she whispered. "You're very kind."

The Centurion stepped away from the tub and started to pick up her armor. Was he doing it out of remembrance from an old sub-routine? Her brows knit together in a frown.

"Brother, you don't need to do that."

The Centurion looked up at her from his mid crouch and then down at the pauldron he was about to pick up. He looked back at her and picked up the piece of armor. It was as if he was testing her. Was this Centurion becoming snarky? Were the Centurions even capable of it? She must be going mad to be thinking of this now. He waved for her to get back to bathing and she warily looked away from him and towards getting clean.

* * *

The next day she decided to wear a nice light dress that let her move in comfort as opposed to the stiff confines of armor. The baseship was parked in a dense nebula, away from prying eyes of the outside world. Layla lay on her side next to the sunken tub of the hybrid. She was hooked into the data stream along with the second hybrid, picking through data to see what the Collectors were doing with the humans and how they could get to them.

All hybrids looked the same, a young woman with brown hair, angelic features. They spouted gibberish, a mix of instructions and other words. She never paid them any mind, too busy doing other things with her brothers and sisters to come up to the hybrid and listen. Layla let her gaze drift to the milky white fluid the hybrid was submerged in and let the white fill her mind. Bits and pieces of the data they were analyzing started to coalesce to form a bigger picture. The Omega 4 Relay was tuned to a different frequency, like a piano tuned slightly off key. The difference in cords would cause the ship to drift into a nearby black hole.

An artificial construct near a black hole.

Layla could help but laugh at the irony. Slowly she 'unhooked' herself from the data stream and sat up. She curled her legs indian style and placed the bowl of fruit in the hole between her legs. As she ate the juicy pieces she processed the information she wanted. It was like the Colony, she could destroy this station without little to no planning, if she was careful. Send a Raider through the relay with the 'tuned' frequency and jump the baseship in without difficulty. They needed the module used to go through the relay and it would need to be constructed by scratch.

There was no way she was going to be able to construct such a module on her own. Somewhere, someone must be able to make it and not ask any questions. She had the software, she just need the damned hardware and there was no way for her to go back to the Collector ship and pick it up. She shouldn't regret saving the Turian vessel. They owed her, and she was going to ask them to pay up...someday. Not today though, it was too early.

Omega was the safest place to find someone to make the module. Maybe not the safest bodily wise but she wasn't a shrinking violet. Pop in take the pirate ship to the station and meet the baseship for a test run. Maybe she could hire a couple of mercs to go with her, a biotic could be useful as well. Her fingers dipped into the bowl to fish out another piece of fruit and found that it was empty. She had eaten it without realizing it. She could see Nef too...if the girl was available. Nothing inappropriate...this time. Just a touch of companionship with a being that could talk back.

* * *

A Batarian was waiting at the docking bay when she exited the ship with two of her brothers. She was in the black jumpsuit and black boots that she wore the last time she was on the station. On one hip was a pistol and the other a large knife. There was no way to be on the station without being armed.

"Aria wants to see you." he sneered at the Centurions. "Without your mechs."

She turned to her brothers. "No worries. I'll be back later." she turned back to the batarian. "Lead on, good sir."

He snorted and walked away, Layla following behind him. The crowd seemed to part for them or maybe it was just for this batarian. Did Aria's men command that much respect or was it just Aria? Whoever this woman was she was in Afterlife. They made their way to the back of the club and up a set of stairs to a balcony that held a handful of armed aliens and an asari wearing a white short jacket with the Omega symbol on her back. Layla had the good sense to not snort at the ridiculous self promotion. The Batarian that brought her here left and another stepped up and activated his omni-tool.

She let him scan her, she had nothing to hide. The asari, Aria, turned to face her. Her demeanor was like any other crime boss worth his, or her cubits, cold, calculating and slightly arrogant. Layla was going to let her speak until she was spoken to.

"You are not what I expected," Aria started.

"That is not the first time I've heard that." Layla smirked. "But what does someone with your status want with me?"

"I want you to get rid of someone."

"Indeed?" Layla quirked an eyebrow in feigned interest.

"A very powerful asari, you may have run into her in the VIP Room." Aria gestured for her to take a seat on the couch to the right of her. "She's an Ardat-Yakshi, a genetically defective asari who kills any being she joins with. She's been preying on my customers for days, has a girl you 'know' in her thrall now. I want you to get her off my station before the Justicar that is hunting her comes here."

"And? What do I get out of this?" Layla asked

"I don't tell Shepard about you."

Layla chuckled. "You are going to have to do better than that. I couldn't care less about Shepard- but you can find me someone who can construct something for me. Something small, that only I have the plans for and can come with me.  _Not_  one of your people either. You do that and I'll get the Ardat-Yakshi off your station."

Aria seemed to mull it over and nodded. "Alright, I'll get a list together for you. Come back here when you're done."

Layla did not wait for Aria to dismiss her to leave the balcony and the club. She was gone from the station for three days and Nef had moved on to an alien that wanted to kill her. The walk from Afterlife to Nef's apartment was a short one. She pressed the buzzer on the door and waited for someone to answer. She waited for a few minutes turned to leave.

"Layla? Is that you?" Nef's voice asked over a speaker hidden in the door somewhere.

Layla turned back to the door and smiled. "Yes, it's me. May I come in?"

The display on the door turned from red to green. "Come on in."

The apartment Nef shared with her mother was small; it could fit in one of the rooms on the baseship. They both deserved better. The door closed behind her and another door opened to reveal Nef in shorts and a tank. She smiled sheepishly at the blond and came closer. Her arms slipped around her waist and the shorter girl's head nuzzled up to her bosom. Layla's arms wrapped around the girl and she laid her head on top of hers.

"You thought I forgot about you?" Layla teased.

Nef looked up at her. "No, but it's good to see you again." she stepped away from her and Layla let her arms drop.

Layla took her by the hand and steered her towards the small couch nearby. "Come, tell me what you've been up to since I've been gone!" she beamed and lounged on the couch, pulling Nef down with her.

Nef shrugged and Layla swore she could see a slight blush. "Not much, just been working on a piece and going to the VIP Room. I met an interesting asari there. Her name is Morinth and she moves like a jungle cat from Earth."

Morinth must be the Ardat-Yakshi Aria spoke of. Layla fought to keep her smile intact. "And? Go on?"

"There's something about her, it's like her body is some sort of temple of a dark place that only few fear to tread and if you do then you would be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams." Nef answered quickly. "She's very glamorous. You should come with me to the club and meet her. She's been to lots of places and so have you. You would have so much to talk about!"

"I would love to come to the club with you dear but that's hours from now." Layla replied sweetly and swept back the hair that was in Nef's face. "What would we do until then?"

Nef shrugged and ran her hand down Layla's arm. "I don't know. We can go back to your ship or we can stay here..."

Nef was uncertain about being around her after their night together. She needed to reassure her that she was safe with her no matter where she was.

"You said you were a sculptor." Layla bit her bottom lip shyly. "May I see some of your work?"

Nef's grin lit up like a supernova and she wrenched Layla off the couch and into her little room. There was a portable terminal on her bed that she quickly closed and dropped it onto a nearby desk. The room was barely big enough for the bed and a few boxes and a desk. Near the door was a toilet and a sink but she didn't see a shower. Her sculptor was busy opening boxes and pulling out small busts and other molded objects. Each was beautiful and wonderful; some were heart-wrenching and heart-warming in their own way. She marveled at the pieces, wondering how such beauty could come from a place of such filth.

"These are beautiful, Nef." she breathed, running her fingers over one that felt like fossilized feathers.

"I've had a few offers from some galleries," she held a figure wistfully. "I just don't know how to part with them."

"But to not share this is criminal." Layla replied. "Such work should be adored by the masses not hidden away."

"You think? I guess I'm just frightened of people not loving what I love."

Layla couldn't help but laugh softly at her little friend. "Nef, who couldn't love what you love with work such as this?"

Nef slid across her small bed to pull Layla into a soft kiss that made her breath sigh out of her body. "You're the first person ever to make me believe that about my work. Hearing it from my mother and strangers didn't take to me as much as you saying it."

"Glad I could be of service." Layla replied playfully. She pulled the young girl close and leaned back on the bed so that she was reclining against the wall with Nef sprawled across from her.

She bit back a yawn but Nef caught it and frowned.

"You're not acclimated to the time yet, are you? What time did you dock?"

"About a half an hour ago."

"You should get some rest if we're going to the club tonight." Nef started to get up but Layla stopped her. "You don't want to go back to your ship?"

"Only if you come with me. You can help me get ready for your new friend?" Layla batted her eyes and Nef smirked.

"If that will get you to take a nap then yes I'll go with you." she replied playfully and crawled off the bed. "Come on."

Her brothers were at their post with their artillery out for show... or maybe because they shot an alien recently. Layla's gaze flicked from the yellow stain on the wall to her brothers and then to Nef who edged closer to her. The Centurions put their guns back into their forearms and stepped out of the way for Layla and her guest to enter. The outer door to the airlock opened and Layla ushered her inside.

"Looks like someone tried to steal your ship or your mechs." Nef replied calmly as the air cycled through and the inner door opened. Layla must have looked at her oddly because she shrugged. "I've seen far worse than that, Layla."

She stretched up onto her toes and placed a tiny kiss on cheek. Layla smirked and guided her back to her cabin. They undressed silently, leaving on their undergarments and they climbed underneath the light covers and dimmed the wall lights. Nef curled herself against Layla and Layla let her body heat lull her to a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Layla woke the sound of someone singing in the shower. For a moment Layla forgot who was with her and then she let a smile crack her sleepy face. Stealthily she got out of her and took off her panties and tank to surprise her companion. She slid open the shower's foggy door and stepped into the shower. Nef stopped singing at the sound of the door and turned to smile at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't wake you." she replied as she moved out of the way for Layla to get to the spray.

"No need to apologize." she replied cheerily.

She took a soap bottle out of the cradle and poured some of the thick fluid into her palm. The scent of papaya filled her nose and she lathered it onto her skin. The hot water and tropical scent invigorated her. Nef was openly admiring her body and two small hands crossed the distanced to caress her breasts and flat stomach. The light touch made Layla's muscles ripple and she let out a soft gasp.

"You sure you want to do that?" she smirked.

Nef answered her smirk with one of her own. She had been so shy just a few days ago and this goddess in front of her changed that drastically.

"Why don't you finish up with your shower and I'll rummage through your closet."

She practically skipped out of the bathroom and head straight for the woman's closet. Layla grinned as she finished her shower. It didn't take long and she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower.

Wrapping a towel around her torso she made her way into her cabin. Nef was busy throwing random pieces of clothing on the bed though she had already put on a dark green dress. Before the young artist could pick for her she grabbed a few random pieces of clothing and put them on. The less time she was naked the better off she was. Nef turned around from her rummaging and eyed Layla's choice in clothing.

"That was quick." she quipped.

Layla looked down at her outfit and shrugged. She was wearing gold pants that encased her legs as if they were molten gold and her black top draped low enough to show the flawless skin she possessed. She wore gold ankle boots that made her legs astronomically long.

"Hard habit to break." she replied picking up her pistol and strapping it into a holster on her back. The loose folds of her shirt hid it from view but she could reach it if needed. "You look adorable. Let's go."

The VIP was just as it was three days ago

"Morinth!" Nef cried over the din and music that thrummed through the room.

The asari that Layla had competed against on her first night here craned her neck over the head of a turian and she waved them over. The turian shifted in his seat to see the two women coming over to the corner table. Layla plastered an amused smile as they came over. Morinth eyed her warily but didn't show any hostility. Layla winked cheekily at her. The turian's gaze slithered up Nef and Layla's form.

"You certainly have intriguing tastes, Morinth." he replied. "Why don't you two come sit next to me."

"Jaris," Morinth replied sweetly. "Why don't you take Nef here out to the dance floor and show her your moves."

The turian smiled in the only way Layla could see as such. "Let's leave these two lovely ladies to their introductions."

Nef nodded and followed after Jaris.

Layla slid into the seat across him her and rested her chin on her fist. "Nef speaks very highly of you. Says your dangerous."

"I have traveled to many dangerous places." Morinth's eyes challenged. "So have you by the way you carry yourself."

Layla leaned closer to the asari and gave her a devious smile. "I know what you are, Ardat- Yakshi."

Morinth said nothing but her gaze turned frosty. "Here to kill me?"

Layla snorted and leaned back into her seat. "No, actually I'm not. I'm here to recruit you."

Morinth sneered. "Recruit me? For what? Some pirate campaign?"

"The Justicar that's after you are heading this way and I'm sure since you've run this far you wouldn't be averse to running a little farther. You help me with this mission and I'll get you off this station with save haven aboard my ship until you wish to leave."

"What would stop me from killing you and taking your ship and Nef?" Morinth asked.

Layla's expression turned deadly. "I would come back from the dead and beat the Justicar at killing you and I would make it as painful as possible. My mission doesn't involve piracy of any sort, I'm going to blow something the hell up and your biotic ability is supposed to be very strong."

Morinth smirked. "What are you going to blow up?"

"The Collector Base."

Morinth thought for a few moments. "So I help you with this and you give me safe haven on your ship for as long as I wish? What if I say no?"

"I kill you." Layla shrugged. "I'm stronger and faster than you think and could snap your neck before you could use your biotics. Helping me will help you more."

"Alright, your mission sounds dangerous and I like danger. When do we leave?"

Layla grinned. "You need to be off the station tomorrow. I'll have a shuttle come and pick you up to take you to my ship. After I clear up with Aria I'll meet you there. Then we'll plan the assault on the Collectors. It's not a long mission and maybe we can fake your death so that your Justicar won't be coming after you for some time."

Morinth grinned and saw Nef come back from dancing with Jaris. The younger human was flushed and flopped onto the seat next to Layla. The turian left when he saw Morinth's eyes flash dangerously. The asari waved over a waitress and ordered three drinks.

"Have you talked about this with Nef?" Morinth asked.

"About what?" Nef asked turning to Layla.

"A job," Layla replied slowly," very dangerous job. I've asked Morinth if she'd want to come along."

"We'll be leaving tomorrow." Morinth's response was nonchalant. Layla landed and warning glare at the asari and cracked a knuckle.

The young human shrugged and took the drink brought by the waitress. "So? She did that last time too. She was gone for only a couple of days. Nothing big there. I have to go home straight from the club anyways."

"Oh?"

Nef grinned. "Yep, I'm going to get my work appraised. See how much some of the galleries are willing to pay for some of them!"

Layla grinned. "That's great!" she raised her glass high in the air. "To Nef, the galaxy's next big artist!"

Morinth raised her glass and tossed back her drink. "To Nef!"

* * *

A/N: I kinda like Morinth *shrug*. Crazy cylons raining on Shepard's parade.


	6. Chapter 6

The blackness that enveloped Layla filled to red and she groaned as the red glow set off a pounding in her head. A cool hand slid across her forehead and she heard someone shush her. A shadow came between her and the glow giving her a chance to try and open her eyes. Morinth's icy blue gaze looked down at her. There was something behind those eyes, something devious. This woman was dangerous and Layla was playing with fire being around her.

"We certainly got carried away last night," Morinth's voice echoed through her head causing her to hiss in pain. "I can't believe you took that much Hallex and just have a hangover."

Morinth wrapped Layla's hand around a cool glass and stood up. She moved over to the window facing her and pressed a button. The glass tinted to a soft black, giving Layla some relief. Slowly Layla lifted herself into a sitting position, resting her forearms on her legs, letting her body lean forward. She blindly took a drink from the glass and was met with a syrupy sweet taste, like drinking simple syrup mixed with honey.

"You are an amazing woman, Layla." Morinth drawled out the name and chuckled darkly. "Though that isn't your name; it's only what Nef calls you."

"I  _like_  the name." Layla breathed and felt her body lighten.

"Indeed," Morinth came back over to her and took a seat next to her. "Morinth isn't my real name either. Just one I've taken to live here just as you have taken Layla to be around Nef."

"Where  _is_  Nef?" Layla asked looking around the posh apartment they were in for the young woman.

"Gone home," Morinth reached over casually to run her fingers through Layla's platinum hair. "She wanted to stay and make sure you were alright but I convinced her to go get some sleep. Don't worry I escorted her home myself so nothing would happen to her. That night when we first saw each other... you were a rival for her. I could see her spark, that fire that made her a creator, and I hungered for it. It's in my nature to hunt such things. But you took her from me and I find that I don't mind that. You're giving me something better: A fight against impossible odds. I can prove that I am better than my mother thought me to be."

Layla leaned away from Morinth's grasp and watched her with a mix of suspicion and assurance. "Then get your bags packed so we can get out of here." she replied moving to stand.

"Already done," Morinth replied and smiled. "I'll come with you to Afterlife and prove to Aria that I'm leaving."

"No, I'll give you the docking bay where the ship is at and the password to get passed the guards. Wait for me there."

"Very well, I'll ride with you as far as Afterlife and make my way to the ship from there." Morinth replied with a small smile. "I left something for you to wear between here and the ship. It's in the bathroom."

"Thanks."

It was a long dress like what most of the women wore but it plunged invitingly down the front. She would shower on the ship but used the sink to wash her face and fix her hair into a bun. In the dress she looked icy, dangerous and sophisticated. Her breasts left a tantalizing amount of cleavage available for view. She kept her boots on and left her dirty clothes in the bathroom to be taken by someone else. Her pistol was also on display for any who thought she was an easy target.

Morinth eyed her hungrily as she came down the small set of steps that separated the living area and the sleeping area of the apartment. At her feet sat a black duffel bag that she picked up and swung over her shoulder.

"You look better in that than I did." she admired. "Let's go."

The transport depot was filled with aliens but they were quick to step away from the available cars. Layla wondered if it was because of her in the dress or the striking asari in black armor holding a bulky duffel bag. Her lips quirked as a human male quickly opened a car door and stood aside to let them in. Morinth shut the door sharply before the man could get inside and pressed in the coordinates for the main building of Afterlife.

Layla activated her omni-tool and sent off a couple of messages to the Centurions on board and guarding the ship. She also sent one off to Nef laced with sweet words of encouragement. "The password is Kobol and the mechs are equipped with a sophisticated AI."

"How many are on your ship?"

"Twelve on this ship but I have more." Layla popped her neck. "I'll be coming back with a new crew member. Then we'll rendezvous with my other ship and start our planning."

The car sat down long enough for Layla to exit and Morinth to salute her. The car lifted off and flew over the side of the edge of the walkway.

She felt a pair of eyes behind her, glued firmly to her lower half and she really wanted to spin around and clock the owner of said eyes. The eyes staring at her from above kept her reflex in check. Her eyes flicked up casually and she saw Aria staring down, her face the same casual menace that she saw the last time she met the asari 'queen'. She passed the batarian at the bottom of the stairs and she nodded for her to go up.

"Aria's busy." the batarian replied and for a moment Layla thought he was talking to her.

"Damnit, Shepard. I need a drink." a heavily accented, gravelly voice spat from behind her.

"We'll be at the bar." someone, a human by the lack of flanging in the voice, said calmly.

Besides the same guards as the day before and Aria there was a quarian standing meekly off to the side. "You've made quite an impression from last night's amusements. But I just got word that the Ardat- Yakshi is on her way to your ship so I'm making good on our deal.  _He_  has agreed to all the terms and is ready to go."

The quarian stepped forward and Layla noticed the wringing hands. He shakily held out a hand and she took it with a warm smile. "Kenn'Haal nar Kasla." he greeted.

Layla turned to Aria and caught her gaze. "Then our business is concluded. Good day." she gestured to the stairway from which she climbed. "Come on, we have a lot of work to do."

Kenn'Haal followed her closely as they descended. "I am looking forward to getting off this station, ma'am."

Layla smiled at the title. "I am glad you decided to come along. It is very important work and if Aria has faith in your skill then so do I. It's also good that I have foodstuffs for turians  _and_  quarians on board my baseship or we'd be in trouble."

Afterlife turned into the transport depot and they got into a car. Layla entered the docking bay coordinates and let the car proceed with its program.

"How long shall we be on this job?" he asked.

"A week maybe more maybe less. Don't tell me you miss this place already?" she teased.

"Not in the slightest. I wish I hadn't come here for my Pilgrimage."

Layla noticed the regret in his voice. "Where would you like to go?"

"I don't know," Kenn' Haal straightened in his seat and rubbed his three finger hands together. "Anywhere but here."

Layla sighed. "Before we get to the ship I need to explain some things and hopefully you'll be okay with them." she took a deep breath. "I'm going after the Collectors. I know where their base is. All we need is the last component and a plan of assault to stop them once and for all."

"To stop them? By ourselves?"

"Yes, by the way my name is Layla and you may call Layla."

"Just call me Kenn," he replied cheerily.

The car landed and they got out. Thankfully there was no fresh blood on the walls and she watched Kenn eye the Centurions warily. She ignored him and looked up at them with a warm smile.

"She hasn't tried anything, has she?" she asked and their slight head shake was all the answer she got. She pushed Kenn closer to them. "This is Kenn'Haal nar Kasla and he will be helping us."

"Are these mechs?" Kenn asked looking up at the Centurions. "They almost look like Turians."

Layla feigned a laugh as the door opened and she waved them, all of them, into airlock.

"Before we leave I must tell that my brothers are not simple mechs. They are advanced A.I.s with thoughts and feelings. They are sentient and like all beings all they want is respect and acceptance though they cannot speak for themselves." Layla replied calmly. "They just want to live in peace."

Kenn's eyes blinked underneath his faceplate rapidly taking in the sight of the seven foot tall chrome plated giants around him. She could see his stance change to fear and she quickly crossed the distance to place soothed hands on his helmet.

"Don't be afraid of them, they are not geth and they have seen what fear and hatred can do to people first hand. Break past your culture's stereotype, Kenn'Haal nar Kasla and learn from beings that have been through everything that you and your synthetic counterparts have gone through."

Her passion and empathy on the subject shook the quarian and he nodded slowly. "Very well... I will not endanger or harm your 'brothers' or you."

"We shall help you with your Pilgrimage just by you being aboard our ship. None like it exist in the galaxy."

Morinth was sitting in the bridge with two of her brothers and smiled at Layla as she entered. Her eyes appraised Kenn. "A quarian? Well, you certainly know how to pick for a diverse crew."

"Kenn'Haal this is Morinth." Layla introduced and Morinth offered her hand. "Morinth will be helping out with the job."

The ship made a small jolt and accelerated as it wove through the giant hanging spires that made up Omega's wards. Kenn took a seat in the chair next to Morinth as Layla came over to her brothers and stood between their large chairs like a taskmaster watching two of her favorite students. Kenn felt his body turn wrong for a moment and then Layla spun on her heels and grinned at them.

"Congratulations you have just survived your first jump. Open the view ports." she replied to the Centurions and the metal shutters that protected the cockpit in battle slid open to reveal giant black double Y stacked shape of the Cylon baseship.

Both of the aliens leaned forward in their seats as the ship came closer to the truncated middle to enter the largest hangar. Morinth's was the only facial expression she could openly study so the surprise welded on her face satisfied Layla's curiosity on how this galaxy would normally react. To her the ship was Home. She had no planet to call her own and no colony to go to so this was it and it was magnificent to her.

"Do both of you have omni-tools?"

Morinth and Kenn'Haal nodded.

"Good. The Centurions can't vocalize their thoughts so they can configure your omni-tools to translate what they wish to say to a written context. Kenn'Haal I'll show you what you'll be working on before we hit the base. There will be a few places that you two will not be permitted to go such as the CIC and a few other key places until we feel you have earned the trust for that."

The ship floated up into a cavernous hangar that housed countless smaller decks that kept ships half the size of the one they were on now. The Centurions piloted the ship onto a larger hangar bay that was made to hold the ship. Layla looked out the ships ports to see a quintet of Centurions waiting for them. She gave them a small wave and started for the airlock gesturing her two new crew members to follow. Both were quick to pick up their bags and follow her out.

Layla smiled up at the Centurions. "Nothing bad to report, I hope?" she turned back to Kenn and Morinth. "This is Kenn'Haal nar Kasla and Morinth, they'll be temporary crew while we finish up with the Collectors. Come on lets show them around."

Morinth and Kenn followed her and the towering silver mechanical giants through the maze of stairs and hallways higher into the baseship. The curved wall and striking white lights should have put the two aliens off about the ship but there was a slight throbbing that calmed them. The Centurions stopped first and stationed themselves at staggered intervals down the hallway. Layla smirked and looked to Kenn.

"Come, I'll you where you'll be staying." she replied to both of them at once.

She stepped through an archway and around a partition of tightly rippled glass to show a room with a large bed made from wood and covered in silky linens. There was a matching nightstand and and on the far side of the room was another partition. A sleek metal and black desk sat in front of the far partition with a private terminal sitting on it.

Layla stepped farther in and smiled at Morinth. "This is your room. The terminal will give you access to the extranet but I should warn you, the hybrid tends to spy on want is seen and will report strange activity to me or one of the Centurions. If you go down the hall on the left you'll run into the kitchen and a conference room where we'll plan the assault."

"Thank you, Layla." she replied and gracefully went to sit on the bed, dismissing her and everyone else.

Layla shrugged at the dismissal and placed a friendly hand on Kenn's back. The quarian followed her down the hallway to another partition. The room was much like Morinth's in shape but instead of a bed was a large square pad with a cylindrical pillow that ran the length of it. She didn't know if Kenn would like the room since it would hinder his movements in hygiene.

"I'm sorry if this isn't ideal." she replied softly. "This ship wasn't designed to accommodate your species and your needs as such."

Kenn stared at her for a moment, his ethereal white eyes unblinking behind his faceplate. Slowly he came closer and patted her arm. "I'm not used to having so much room to myself. Back on the Flotilla space was limited so we lived closely together; being in such a space will take some getting used to."

The reassurance from him made her cock her head and bit her lip. "I'll ask that some of the dextro food comes out from storage for you. If you want to settle I can come back and show you what you'll be working on."

Kenn looked around the room and then at the Centurion behind her. "May I see what I'll be working on? I don't like to be idle."

"Of course," Layla guided him out of the room and to the room the Centurions converted into a makeshift workshop.The blackness that enveloped Layla filled to red and she groaned as the red glow set off a pounding in her head. A cool hand slid across her forehead and she heard someone shush her. A shadow came between her and the glow giving her a chance to try and open her eyes. Morinth's icy blue gaze looked down at her. There was something behind those eyes, something devious. This woman was dangerous and Layla was playing with fire being around her.

"We certainly got carried away last night," Morinth's voice echoed through her head causing her to hiss in pain. "I can't believe you took that much Hallex and just have a hangover."

Morinth wrapped Layla's hand around a cool glass and stood up. She moved over to the window facing her and pressed a button. The glass tinted to a soft black, giving Layla some relief. Slowly Layla lifted herself into a sitting position, resting her forearms on her legs, letting her body lean forward. She blindly took a drink from the glass and was met with a syrupy sweet taste, like drinking simple syrup mixed with honey.

"You are an amazing woman, Layla." Morinth drawled out the name and chuckled darkly. "Though that isn't your name; it's only what Nef calls you."

"I like the name." Layla breathed and felt her body lighten.

"Indeed," Morinth came back over to her and took a seat next to her. "Morinth isn't my real name either. Just one I've taken to live here just as you have taken Layla to be around Nef."

"Where is Nef?" Layla asked looking around the posh apartment they were in for the young woman.

"Gone home," Morinth reached over casually to run her fingers through Layla's platinum hair. "She wanted to stay and make sure you were alright but I convinced her to go get some sleep. Don't worry I escorted her home myself so nothing would happen to her. That night when we first saw each other... you were a rival for her. I could see her spark, that fire that made her a creator, and I hungered for it. It's in my nature to hunt such things. But you took her from me and I find that I don't mind that. You're giving me something better: A fight against impossible odds. I can prove that I am better than my mother thought me to be."

Layla leaned away from Morinth's grasp and watched her with a mix of suspicion and assurance. "Then get your bags packed so we can get out of here." she replied moving to stand.

"Already done," Morinth replied and smiled. "I'll come with you to Afterlife and prove to Aria that I'm leaving."

"No, I'll give you the docking bay where the ship is at and the password to get passed the guards. Wait for me there."

"Very well, I'll ride with you as far as Afterlife and make my way to the ship from there." Morinth replied with a small smile. "I left something for you to wear between here and the ship. It's in the bathroom."

"Thanks."

It was a long dress like what most of the women wore but it plunged invitingly down the front. She would shower on the ship but used the sink to wash her face and fix her hair into a bun. In the dress she looked icy, dangerous and sophisticated. Her breasts left a tantalizing amount of cleavage available for view. She kept her boots on and left her dirty clothes in the bathroom to be taken by someone else. Her pistol was also on display for any who thought she was an easy target.

Morinth eyed her hungrily as she came down the small set of steps that separated the living area and the sleeping area of the apartment. At her feet sat a black duffel bag that she picked up and swung over her shoulder.

"You look better in that than I did." she admired. "Let's go."

The transport depot was filled with aliens but they were quick to step away from the available cars. Layla wondered if it was because of her in the dress or the striking asari in black armor holding a bulky duffel bag. Her lips quirked as a human male quickly opened a car door and stood aside to let them in. Morinth shut the door sharply before the man could get inside and pressed in the coordinates for the main building of Afterlife.

Layla activated her omni-tool and sent off a couple of messages to the Centurions on board and guarding the ship. She also sent one off to Nef laced with sweet words of encouragement. "The password is Kobol and the mechs are equipped with a sophisticated AI."

"How many are on your ship?"

"Twelve on this ship but I have more." Layla popped her neck. "I'll be coming back with a new crew member. Then we'll rendezvous with my other ship and start our planning."

The car sat down long enough for Layla to exit and Morinth to salute her. The car lifted off and flew over the side of the edge of the walkway.

She felt a pair of eyes behind her, glued firmly to her lower half and she really wanted to spin around and clock the owner of said eyes. The eyes staring at her from above kept her reflex in check. Her eyes flicked up casually and she saw Aria staring down, her face the same casual menace that she saw the last time she met the asari 'queen'. She passed the batarian at the bottom of the stairs and she nodded for her to go up.

"Aria's busy." the batarian replied and for a moment Layla thought he was talking to her.

"Damnit, Shepard. I need a drink." a heavily accented, gravelly voice spat from behind her.

"We'll be at the bar." someone, a human by the lack of flanging in the voice, said calmly.

Besides the same guards as the day before and Aria there was a quarian standing meekly off to the side. "You've made quite an impression from last night's amusements. But I just got word that the Ardat- Yakshi is on her way to your ship so I'm making good on our deal. He has agreed to all the terms and is ready to go."

The quarian stepped forward and Layla noticed the wringing hands. He shakily held out a hand and she took it with a warm smile. "Kenn'Haal nar Kasla." he greeted.

Layla turned to Aria and caught her gaze. "Then our business is concluded. Good day." she gestured to the stairway from which she climbed. "Come on, we have a lot of work to do."

Kenn'Haal followed her closely as they descended. "I am looking forward to getting off this station, ma'am."

Layla smiled at the title. "I am glad you decided to come along. It is very important work and if Aria has faith in your skill then so do I. It's also good that I have foodstuffs for turians and quarians on board my baseship or we'd be in trouble."

Afterlife turned into the transport depot and they got into a car. Layla entered the docking bay coordinates and let the car proceed with its program.

"How long shall we be on this job?" he asked.

"A week maybe more maybe less. Don't tell me you miss this place already?" she teased.

"Not in the slightest. I wish I hadn't come here for my Pilgrimage."

Layla noticed the regret in his voice. "Where would you like to go?"

"I don't know," Kenn' Haal straightened in his seat and rubbed his three finger hands together. "Anywhere but here."

Layla sighed. "Before we get to the ship I need to explain some things and hopefully you'll be okay with them." she took a deep breath. "I'm going after the Collectors. I know where their base is. All we need is the last component and a plan of assault to stop them once and for all."

"To stop them? By ourselves?"

"Yes, by the way my name is Layla and you may call Layla."

"Just call me Kenn," he replied cheerily.

The car landed and they got out. Thankfully there was no fresh blood on the walls and she watched Kenn eye the Centurions warily. She ignored him and looked up at them with a warm smile.

"She hasn't tried anything, has she?" she asked and their slight head shake was all the answer she got. She pushed Kenn closer to them. "This is Kenn'Haal nar Kasla and he will be helping us."

"Are these mechs?" Kenn asked looking up at the Centurions. "They almost look like Turians."

Layla feigned a laugh as the door opened and she waved them, all of them, into airlock.

"Before we leave I must tell that my brothers are not simple mechs. They are advanced A.I.s with thoughts and feelings. They are sentient and like all beings all they want is respect and acceptance though they cannot speak for themselves." Layla replied calmly. "They just want to live in peace."

Kenn's eyes blinked underneath his faceplate rapidly taking in the sight of the seven foot tall chrome plated giants around him. She could see his stance change to fear and she quickly crossed the distance to place soothed hands on his helmet.

"Don't be afraid of them, they are not geth and they have seen what fear and hatred can do to people first hand. Break past your culture's stereotype, Kenn'Haal nar Kasla and learn from beings that have been through everything that you and your synthetic counterparts have gone through."

Her passion and empathy on the subject shook the quarian and he nodded slowly. "Very well... I will not endanger or harm your 'brothers' or you."

"We shall help you with your Pilgrimage just by you being aboard our ship. None like it exist in the galaxy."

Morinth was sitting in the bridge with two of her brothers and smiled at Layla as she entered. Her eyes appraised Kenn. "A quarian? Well, you certainly know how to pick for a diverse crew."

"Kenn'Haal this is Morinth." Layla introduced and Morinth offered her hand. "Morinth will be helping out with the job."

The ship made a small jolt and accelerated as it wove through the giant hanging spires that made up Omega's wards. Kenn took a seat in the chair next to Morinth as Layla came over to her brothers and stood between their large chairs like a taskmaster watching two of her favorite students. Kenn felt his body turn wrong for a moment and then Layla spun on her heels and grinned at them.

"Congratulations you have just survived your first jump. Open the view ports." she replied to the Centurions and the metal shutters that protected the cockpit in battle slid open to reveal giant black double Y stacked shape of the Cylon baseship.

Both of the aliens leaned forward in their seats as the ship came closer to the truncated middle to enter the largest hangar. Morinth's was the only facial expression she could openly study so the surprise welded on her face satisfied Layla's curiosity on how this galaxy would normally react. To her the ship was Home. She had no planet to call her own and no colony to go to so this was it and it was magnificent to her.

"Do both of you have omni-tools?"

Morinth and Kenn'Haal nodded.

"Good. The Centurions can't vocalize their thoughts so they can configure your omni-tools to translate what they wish to say to a written context. Kenn'Haal I'll show you what you'll be working on before we hit the base. There will be a few places that you two will not be permitted to go such as the CIC and a few other key places until we feel you have earned the trust for that."

The ship floated up into a cavernous hangar that housed countless smaller decks that kept ships half the size of the one they were on now. The Centurions piloted the ship onto a larger hangar bay that was made to hold the ship. Layla looked out the ships ports to see a quintet of Centurions waiting for them. She gave them a small wave and started for the airlock gesturing her two new crew members to follow. Both were quick to pick up their bags and follow her out.

Layla smiled up at the Centurions. "Nothing bad to report, I hope?" she turned back to Kenn and Morinth. "This is Kenn'Haal nar Kasla and Morinth, they'll be temporary crew while we finish up with the Collectors. Come on lets show them around."

Morinth and Kenn followed her and the towering silver mechanical giants through the maze of stairs and hallways higher into the baseship. The curved wall and striking white lights should have put the two aliens off about the ship but there was a slight throbbing that calmed them. The Centurions stopped first and stationed themselves at staggered intervals down the hallway. Layla smirked and looked to Kenn.

"Come, I'll you where you'll be staying." she replied to both of them at once.

She stepped through an archway and around a partition of tightly rippled glass to show a room with a large bed made from wood and covered in silky linens. There was a matching nightstand and and on the far side of the room was another partition. A sleek metal and black desk sat in front of the far partition with a private terminal sitting on it.

Layla stepped farther in and smiled at Morinth. "This is your room. The terminal will give you access to the extranet but I should warn you, the hybrid tends to spy on want is seen and will report strange activity to me or one of the Centurions. If you go down the hall on the left you'll run into the kitchen and a conference room where we'll plan the assault."

"Thank you, Layla." she replied and gracefully went to sit on the bed, dismissing her and everyone else.

Layla shrugged at the dismissal and placed a friendly hand on Kenn's back. The quarian followed her down the hallway to another partition. The room was much like Morinth's in shape but instead of a bed was a large square pad with a cylindrical pillow that ran the length of it. She didn't know if Kenn would like the room since it would hinder his movements in hygiene.

"I'm sorry if this isn't ideal." she replied softly. "This ship wasn't designed to accommodate your species and your needs as such."

Kenn stared at her for a moment, his ethereal white eyes unblinking behind his faceplate. Slowly he came closer and patted her arm. "I'm not used to having so much room to myself. Back on the Flotilla space was limited so we lived closely together; being in such a space will take some getting used to."

The reassurance from him made her cock her head and bit her lip. "I'll ask that some of the dextro food comes out from storage for you. If you want to settle I can come back and show you what you'll be working on."

Kenn looked around the room and then at the Centurion behind her. "May I see what I'll be working on? I don't like to be idle."

"Of course," Layla guided him out of the room and to the room the Centurions converted into a makeshift workshop.


End file.
